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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22709788">chocolate cereal</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/EthelPhantom/pseuds/EthelPhantom'>EthelPhantom</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Dickinette Valentine's [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Batman - All Media Types, Miraculous Ladybug</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Cross-Posted on Tumblr, F/M, Fluff, Love Confessions, MariBat, Valentine's Day, Valentine's Day Fluff</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-02-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-02-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-04-28 13:48:04</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,213</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22709788</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/EthelPhantom/pseuds/EthelPhantom</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>“Do you think he’s going to like it? No, actually, do you think he’s going to hate me after this?” Marinette asked, fiddling with the ribbon of the gift she held in her hands.</p><p>Kori just laughed at her. “Mari, dear, he could literally never hate you. I don’t think he’s physically able to,” she snorted and patted her head. “Now go out there and get your man!”</p><hr/><p>Alternatively, Marinette tries to confess.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug/Dick Grayson</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Dickinette Valentine's [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1633354</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>9</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>197</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>chocolate cereal</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Yeah, this is a series. No, you won't get the next part until next month. (It's made to come at specific days so that's why you can't have it yet.)</p><p>Anyway. How in the world did I end up writing more Dickinette when I still don't ship it? It's a complete mystery. Honestly speaking, it's probably because I had the Maribat discord tell me what pairing to use, but shh, let's think of it as a complete mystery anyway.</p><p>I hope you like it!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“Do you think he’s going to like it? No, actually, do you think he’s going to hate me after this?” Marinette asked, fiddling with the ribbon of the gift she held in her hands.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kori just laughed at her. “Mari, dear, he could literally never hate you. I don’t think he’s physically able to,” she snorted and patted her head. “Now go out there and get your man!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Marinette just swatted Kori’s hand as she pushed her closer to where they could see Dick talking with a frowning Jason, either not noticing that or purposefully ignoring it. Knowing Dick, it could honestly be either. Reluctantly, she started walking there, glancing back once before Kori flipped her off and motioned for her to just go. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>God, her friend was an asshole. Marinette definitely loved her, she was the best. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>(And Marinette was sure Kori wouldn’t let her fuck up on purpose, so she also trusted her with this.)</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Once Marinette was out of hearing range and didn’t look back anymore, Roy appeared beside Kori. “She’s gonna do it now, huh?” he asked, arching his brow. There was a smile playing on his lips though. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yup, she is. Mari’s growing up and finally confessing to Dick. I’ve waited for this way too long,” Kori said grinning. They had both had to listen to way too much pining from one too many people, so it was about time one of them did something. It was a little surprising it wasn’t Dick that went out of his way to confess though, especially since it was Valentine’s Day. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Well, it was good </span>
  <em>
    <span>one </span>
  </em>
  <span>of them was going to do something about it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do you think she’s gonna chicken out before she gets Dick alone?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh yeah, totally. Can you please—”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“On it, Kori. Consider it done.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And just like that, Roy went after Marinette, giving Kori a thumbs up before disappearing out of sight. </span>
</p><hr/><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Umm… Dick? Can I talk to you?” Marinette asked quietly beside him. If it hadn’t been Dick, Marinette would have been sure he couldn’t have heard her, but it was Dick, and he turned to look at her immediately. She was nervous and while the fact he was smiling gently at her helped, the fact she now had both his and Jason’s attention on her did not. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sure! What is it, Teacup?” he asked, smiling brightly at her. He turned his body to her so she could be sure she had his undivided attention but… she could also feel Jay’s eyes on her. God, could someone save her? She was already ready to just say it was nothing and leave, knowing she would not have the courage to do this again. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Then there arrived her saviour in the form of one of the million attractive red heads they know, this one named Roy. Roy walked up to them and threw an arm around Jason, loudly exclaiming he needed to show Jason something, like, right now. Jason just looked at Roy like he was crazy, but when Roy (made an attempt at) subtly motioning at Marinette and how nervous she was, Jason’s eyes widened a little and tried to hide his grin before he made a show of shrugging nonchalantly, leaving with him.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I— Can we talk in somewhere a little more private?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yeah, she still needed time to get it out of her mouth. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dick simply nodded, smiling, and offered her his arm to grab on. They still had time left before they needed to go. He guided her outside, and when she shot a questioning look at him, he just laughed and told her she looked like she needed oxygen and that there would anyway be more privacy outside knowing all their friends. A quick glance to their right told her he was right as she could see a flow of long, bright red hair trying to hide behind a corner and two grown-ass men trying to look very subtle at following them on the left. Marinette sighed and tried to ignore them by looking forwards only to see Kagami and Adrien locking eyes with her before they dashed behind the pillar nearby, all three of them knowing full well that said pillar would not be able to conceal them. Luka just walked past her and smiled at her, giving her a thumbs up.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Did all of them know what she was planning on doing? It seemed she couldn’t keep it from any of her friends despite having tried to.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>...Oh god, did </span>
  <em>
    <span>Dick </span>
  </em>
  <span>already know what she was planning on doing?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Marinette was going to die of embarrassment before she managed to actually confess. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>When they finally were outside and both of them had shooed their friends and family away, Dick put his (for once actually) undivided attention on her. Marinette bit her lip. It felt nice to have someone actually pay mind to what she was saying, but in a way, after years of not being used to it, it was unnerving. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was nice of him to this once understand to keep his mouth shut until she spoke though. Marinette would have expected him to ask what it was again, but no. Trust Dick to keep silent when it actually counted. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>(Well, to be fair, even if he wasn’t the best </span>
  <em>
    <span>people reader</span>
  </em>
  <span> of the family per se but what he </span>
  <em>
    <span>was</span>
  </em>
  <span> was that he was the best of them </span>
  <em>
    <span>with people. </span>
  </em>
  <span>He knew how to read them well enough to know exactly what kind of behaviour the situation called for, always, and actually acted that way too — unlike some others in the family.)</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Uh. I.” Such an eloquent start, Marinette. Wow. “I made this for you?” she said, and </span>
  <em>
    <span>why did that come out as a question?</span>
  </em>
  <span> Marinette thrusted the gift she had in her hands at Dick’s chest.That act gained her a surprised look and Dick arching his brow. Regardless, he opened it and… He honest to god </span>
  <em>
    <span>gaped. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“These are for me?” he asked, eyes still wide and shocked. There was just so much amazement in his tone and Marinette could have probably melted right then and there. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah. I made them. Have a taste?” she said and tried to put a smile on her face that would </span>
  <em>
    <span>not</span>
  </em>
  <span> be a dead give away of her nerves. Knowing Dick, he probably saw right through her anyway, but they both knew that if she tried concealing her nervousness hard enough, he would let it be if there was no other worrying sign as to not have her feel even worse. She was rather happy about the mutual wordless agreement they had. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dick picked up one of the chocolate squares and took a bite out of it. It took him a few seconds, but then he blinked and looked at the rest of the square still in his hands while munching on the bite in his mouth. Once he swallowed it down, he just had to start speaking right away. “Was that— Did you put marshmallows and </span>
  <em>
    <span>cereal</span>
  </em>
  <span> in it? In this chocolate treat?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Marinette nodded nervously, twirling strands of hair around her index finger. “Do you like it?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You can’t be— Are you seriously asking me that?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh my god, Teacup. I don’t like it, I </span>
  <em>
    <span>love </span>
  </em>
  <span>it! </span>
  <em>
    <span>Cereal! </span>
  </em>
  <span>Do you know how big of a deal this is?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A laugh fell from Marinette’s lips. “Yes, in fact, I do know. I put the cereal there for </span>
  <em>
    <span>a reason, </span>
  </em>
  <span>Dick.” A beat passed, and then Dick joined her laughter. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of course you did. I should have expected nothing less from the best baker I know — yes I think you’re definitely better than Alfred when it comes to this kind of stuff.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Is that because I let you eat extra cereal?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Learn to lie better, you dick.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know you love to hang out with Little Wing but you’ve got to stop learning habits from him. Anyway. Was there something else you wanted to also tell me?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Marinette bit her lip, looking away for a second. “I… I kind of hoped you’d get it but…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dick looked at Marinette, then at the treat, then again at Marinette and— “Oh. It’s Valentine’s, isn’t it?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, it is. I— I like you?” And there it was again, things meant as statements turning into questions. Marinette corrected herseld, “I like you. Romantically.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There was a pause of perfect, deafening silence before a bright grin spread on Dick’s face and he scooped Marinette up in his arms. “I’m so glad to hear that!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Does that mean—?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, I like you too, definitely, a lot. You’re the best,” he said, laughing. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Marinette couldn’t help the smile that grew on her features as well. She wrapped her arms around Dick’s shoulders and hung on tight as she hid her face and happiness into the crook of neck. Dick just spun them around before setting her back on the ground but did not let go — this was a happy moment for both of them </span>
  <em>
    <span>and </span>
  </em>
  <span>both of them enjoyed physical contact so it was nice. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Well, as nice as it could be before a loud thump and an angry hiss could be heard from behind Dick and they both turned around only to find Roy lying on the ground, Kori had her face in her palms, Jason and Kagami were glaring daggers at Roy, and Adrien was the only one who didn’t fail to look at least </span>
  <em>
    <span>remotely</span>
  </em>
  <span> remorseful. He and Luka were the only ones whose ass she wasn’t going to kick. Even if Luka had been in on this or the bet she found out about a few seconds later, he wasn’t here </span>
  <em>
    <span>now</span>
  </em>
  <span>, and that equalled to being a tolerable friend in her books right now. Barbara was also safe because she was nice and could probably be at least on par with her skills (if not better) even if she was now wheelchair bound.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>So yeah, okay, her friends were assholes. Total assholes, the lot of them. She shouldn’t even be surprised, if she was being honest, but that didn’t mean she had to like it. “Woooo!” “Fucking </span>
  <em>
    <span>finally! </span>
  </em>
  <span>You two took way too long!” “God, if you’d done this thing like yesterday or tomorrow, I would now be a few hundred bucks richer.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was Marinette’s time to bury her head in her hands. She had wanted this one moment alone with Dick regardless of how it would have ended but </span>
  <em>
    <span>no. </span>
  </em>
  <span>Obviously that was too much to ask. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well. I’m glad to see you’re doing well. I think we’re going now,” Kagami stated, looking like she was ready to drag Roy away by his ear. When none of them moved, she spoke again. “I said, we’re going now. Is that clear?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Roy rushed to his feet (okay so Marinette would have loved to laugh at him for being like that with such a small woman but then again it was Kagami and Kagami </span>
  <em>
    <span>was</span>
  </em>
  <span> scary), and once everyone else was moving as well, he walked as far from Kagami as he could. It was rather amusing. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>When Dick and Marinette were certain they’d actually left (they had made a quick check of their surroundings before deciding that), they returned to concentrate their focus on one another. Dick placed his hand on her cheek and stroked the skin right under her eye with his thumb. Marinette nuzzled her cheek to his palm, smiling as she looked Dick in the eyes. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Can I kiss you?” was the quiet question Dick left hanging in the air as they stared into each other’s eyes. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Please do,” was the equally silent reply Marinette gave before his lips were pressed on hers and they shared their first kiss of so many more to come.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Later, when Marinette walked to her dorm she shared with Kagami and Kori, she noticed a small envelope taped on their door. She took it inside and opened it while her friends watched, and felt her face heat up and go crimson as she saw what it was. Three polaroids of her and Dick — one of their kiss, one of the moment Dick asked if he could kiss her and one of her confessing. The pictures were taken surprisingly close, so whoever it was, they got rather close to them to take them. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>And then she noticed a fourth polaroid of them being frustrated with their friends in the background, and— that was indeed Luka’s face in the lower corner, winking and with his tongue stuck out. Behind the picture, there was a short message for her. </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Thanks for not noticing me so I could take the pictures, Ma-Ma-Marinette ;D You should probably thank the rest of them for providing a good distraction because your boyfriend was close to finding me! </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Love, Luka</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Marinette was ready to scream and later when anyone asked her about them, she would say it was irritating none of her friends would let them just be, but if either Kori or Kagami was nearby, they would tell the person asking that she’d gone the rest of the evening with a goofy and stupid smile of a fool in love on her face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The polaroids were what decorated Marinette’s wall for the next few years.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>So. I hope this was enjoyable. If you have any thoughts or so about it, go on, scream at me in the comments.</p><p>Also, do come scream at me on my <a href="https://ethelphantom.tumblr.com/">tumblr</a> if you feel like it!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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